As President Donald Trump marked his first 100 days back in the Oval Office, his administration’s most controversial — and ambitious — project is already making headlines. The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), launched by executive order on Inauguration Day and led by none other than tech magnate Elon Musk, claims it has already identified and eliminated over $160 billion in waste, fraud, and abuse across the federal government.
DOGE was created with a staggering mission: to cut $2 trillion from the bloated federal budget. And while critics scoffed at the agency’s unconventional leadership and mandate, Musk’s team has spent the last 100 days tearing through bureaucracy like a buzzsaw — and leaving scorched earth behind.
Musk’s Mandate Nearing Its Limit
Elon Musk, who is technically classified as a “special government employee,” is only allowed to serve up to 130 days per year in a federal role. With that limit approaching on May 30, the Tesla and SpaceX CEO has begun scaling back his hours. But that hasn’t slowed DOGE’s momentum — or the political firestorm it has ignited.
While Democrats have slammed DOGE as a politicized stunt, Republicans have embraced it as a necessary reckoning. In an exclusive feature on Jesse Watters Primetime, Musk’s team — dubbed the “DOGE boys” — revealed some of their most shocking findings.
🔥 DOGE’s Greatest Hits: The First 100 Days
$132K to a Former Taliban Official
In a revelation that stunned even seasoned bureaucrats, DOGE discovered that the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) awarded a $132,000 contract to Mohammad Qasem Halimi, a former Taliban member and one-time Afghan Minister of Hajj. Halimi had been detained at Bagram Air Base following 9/11 but later ascended to positions of power within Afghanistan.
DOGE canceled the contract immediately. “Ironically, the Institute of Peace was one of the least peaceful agencies we encountered,” a DOGE official told Watters. “They had loaded firearms in their HQ — and were flying private jets. And yes, they paid a Taliban guy.”
USIP declined to comment.
COVID Relief Blown on Vegas Hotels and Ice Cream Trucks
Perhaps DOGE’s most headline-grabbing discoveries came from audits of school district spending. Billions in COVID-19 relief were misspent, according to Musk’s team. Among the findings:
$86,000 in hotel stays at Caesars Palace by Utah’s Granite School District for an “educational conference.”
$393,000 by California’s Santa Ana Unified to rent out a Major League Baseball stadium.
$60,000 on swimming pool passes.
One California district even bought an ice cream truck.
“They were basically partying on the taxpayers’ dollars,” Musk told Watters.
$20M for ‘Sesame Street’ — in Iraq
In collaboration with Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA), DOGE exposed that the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) gave $20 million to Sesame Workshop to produce Ahlan Simsim Iraq, a localized Sesame Street-style program promoting “mutual respect and inclusion.”
“While American schools can’t buy books, we’re funding puppets in Baghdad,” Ernst quipped.
$162 Billion in ‘Improper Payments’ in 2024 Alone
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) helped DOGE identify an eye-watering $162 billion in improper payments just this year — although that’s $74 billion less than 2023.
Key culprits include:
$54B from Medicare programs
$31B from Medicaid
$16B in tax credit overpayments
$11B from SNAP
$9B from SBA restaurant funds
DOGE is now working with each department to seal the cracks and stop the leaks.
Crackdown on DEI Spending Across the Government
From day one, Trump and Musk have vowed to dismantle what they call the “bureaucracy of wokeness.” And DOGE is delivering.
In just three months, the agency claims to have:
Canceled 402 DEI grants worth $233M, including one for “Antiracist Teacher Leadership.”
Flagged $80M in DEI bloat at the Department of Defense, including:
$6M to the University of Montana to “bridge divides.”
$1.9M for “holistic DEI transformation” in the Air Force.
The Department of Education has already nixed over $100 million in similar programs, and the Institute of Museum and Library Services is expected to lose millions in upcoming cuts.
DOGE spokesman Sean Parnell praised the collaboration with the Pentagon, saying “we’re just getting started.”
What’s Next for DOGE?
As Musk’s 130-day clock ticks down, the question remains: Will he extend his tenure? Or pass the torch?
DOGE’s rapid-fire revelations have upended D.C.’s status quo and placed billions of questionable spending under the microscope. Whether seen as heroics or political theater, one thing is clear — DOGE has already reshaped the narrative around government waste.
And if Trump gets his way, the “DOGE doctrine” could become a cornerstone of his second term.